Crowcon portable gas detector helps BBC during Indonesian volcano

Tetra 3 has been used to detect hydrogen sulphide gas in the Indonesian volcano’s crater.

A BBC film crew filming sulphur miners in the crater of an active volcano used a Crowcon Tetra 3 portable gas detector to warn them of dangerous levels of hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The crew were filming in Indonesia as part of the BBC’s landmark ‘Human Planet’ series which explores mankind's relationship with nature in the world today.

During filming the crew were engulfed in a cloud of H2S gas and had to quickly don gas masks (no such safety measures are used by the miners). They measured the gas concentration with the Tetra 3, which immediately went into alarm mode and showed a concentration of194 ppm – almost 40 times the safe breathing level. The corrosive gas quickly ate into the cameras, all of which promptly broke down.

Human Planet crews filmed in around 80 locations worldwide, using HD cameras to film from the air, from the ground and underwater. The result, according to the BBC website, is a “cinematic experience” created by world-class natural history and documentary camera crews and programme makers.

Crowcon’s lightweight, portable Tetra 3 combines extremely rugged design with small size and simple operation. Designed for use in the most demanding environments, it has simple, single button operation, even with a gloved hand. Monitoring oxygen, toxic and flammable gases, the unit has a top mounted, backlit display showing all gas readings, diagnostics and battery life.

If a hazard is detected, the Tetra 3 gives rapid and effective warning with a powerful 95 dBA audible alarm, an extremely bright red/blue LED visual warning, and by vibrating. More information about the tetra 3 can be found on Crowcon’s website.